example to try and work from:
Please join us for a three-day event of, by and for the omidyar.net community and friends -- to build our capacity to make good things happen. What: Discovering Our Power to Make Good Things Happen When: July 14-16, 2006 pre-set schedule Where: Carleton Hotel, Oak Park, IL (http://www.carletonhotel.com and DirectionsToConference) History: Here's what happened in our first event: ProceedingsChicago05!
Who We Are: omidyar.net is a growing online community. We believe every individual has the power to make a difference. We exist for one single purpose: So that more and more people discover their own power to make good things happen. If you have not joined this community yet, you can go to www.omidyar.net/home and check it out. footnote
You're Invited: This conference is for omidyar.net members, friends and anyone else to come together, make connections, have fun, do as much good work as each and every one of us can... and then go home, more connected, energized and capable of doing more and more of whatever we call good in the world. Come join a good party getting better! ...and bring your good friends, too!:
Since you are reading this invitation, we know that someone thought you might be interested in joining this work. Please join us to make good things happen!
* What kind of good things are happening because of the work you are doing in the world? * What do you need to do in order for more good things to happen as a result of the work you really want to do? * What skills, resources, gifts and connections do you have to share? * What would happen if you could grow and get and share?
Come to Oak Park, Chicago and find out!
Be Prepared: We are opening this space for meeting, for learning, for connecting, for acting, and for good. We don't know what is going to happen. We are imposing no limits, no agendas -- only the charge to come and learn and contribute as much as you can. Be prepared to be surprised by the results!
Agenda: Any issue of real importance to you can be added to the agenda. It will be discussed and addressed to the greatest extent possible. All of the key points and next steps will be captured and offered online, so that more good people can be invited into more and more good action.
Spirit: We invite your presence, onsite and/or online. Please pass this invitation on to others you see leading and doing good work. We need you to add your spirit to the many many connections that are happening now. Online or onsite, please bring the stories of your progress, your skills and insights, and your passion for what can happen next. Be ready to make more good things happen.
Format: This gathering is the product of many actions and connections. This space is an invitation to make more of them, and more of us, flow more together, to the good. The format will be a rich mix of personal storytelling and powerful self-organization, informed directly by the practices of Appreciative Inquiry and Open Space Technology. The participants will be smart, caring, creative and connected leaders, organizers, activists and instigators. Beyond this, the space will be wide open for us to make good things happen.
Registration and Payment: First, either put your name on the ChicagoJuly2006Participants page or email tedernst@alumni.princeton.edu to tell us you're coming. Then, visit the payment page to make your contribution of $45 to $450 to cover meeting space, snacks, materials, with any surplus going to fund conference and/or network projects. A list of lodging (see: Have lodging? Need lodging?) and meal options will be provided so that you can easily arrange those things for yourself.
Financial Assistance: May be available, please ask... and visit conference funding marketplace to co-create financial support for those who are attracted to this conference but not yet able to cover their expenses. a Dropcash campaign Chicago 2006 $60 of $10,000 raised so far donate now » Your donation can allow this conference to include people who could not come any other way!
Things to do before and after the conference: Chicago Links
We are looking forward to meeting and working with you in July, to make good things happen!
* co-conveners: Linda Nowakowski, Michael Herman, Michael Maranda, Jean Russell, Julie Caldwell, Sally Duros, Ted Ernst, Anne M Geissler, others who commit to show up, bring friends and add spirit. Sign on!
footnote
The best way to engage with this growing socially active network is to go online and join the omidyar.net community. omidyar.net is the Virtual Roof under which much of the planning, coordinating and follow-on work occur. If you can't join us onsite and want to convene a local version of this simultaneously, please contact us so that we can help you post your discussion notes and next steps into the main conference online workspace. One way or another, we'll all go forward together!